The Piano

[Di.Poppitt]

There were not many homes without a piano, they sat pride of place in 'the front'. I didn't learn to play, but wish that I had.

Mom played 'by ear', I would go home from school and sing a new school song to her and in minutes she was playing and singing it. At Christmas we would all stand round singing carols, and then the songs of the day, and when the men were tanked up the songs of their day.

Can't resist this one, Dad's Party Piece

Give me a nail and a hammer and a picture to hang on the wall
And someone to hold up the ladder in case that I should fall
Give me a boy to fetch beer
I'd rather drink beer than ale
I'll bet you I'll hang up that picture
If someone will knock in the nail.

Sorry....

 

[sylviasayers]

Diana, we too had a piano in our front room, it had belonged to my mother's sister who had died when I was a month old, it was always lovingly polished and the brass pedals polished weekly, none of the family could play but it was well used, on VE Day the sash cord windows were taken out and it was manhandled into the street.

Many Saturday nights after mom and dad had been to the Clarendon pub
friends would come back with some bottles, mom would make ham and cheese sandwiches and the party would start, they always brought a pianist with them. My eldest brother in law had a friend who played the drums - semi-pro and sometimes they played at a dance at Burlington Street School and they would all come over to our house the place rocked,
I was only a school girl but enjoyed the fun. One night it was going really well and the floor was bouncing up and down, mom was worried the floor would collapse and everyone would end up in the cellar. Happy days.

 

[Pomgolian]

Di I have posted in the past about my dad playing the piano around some of the local pubs in Aston and Nechells. He played in other parts of Brum too as we moved around a lot. Because of his poor eyesight he was often the first to be laid off if work was short , then until he found another job he would walk around Brum and tote for piano tuning jobs from door to door. Our house was the place to come after the pub was closed on Friday and Saturday nights :lol: . He also knew your little verse and lots more like it, He would sing;

Ho what a life with a nagging wife
But it.‚.’s a bugger of a life without one
She.‚.…
:wink: (Can.‚.’t print any more as it may offend).‚.…

Dad also played by ear and could play anything you asked him too. My son who is also short-sighted has the same gift and can with in a few minutes play any tune on any instrument you care to give him.

My Father played the piano in some of the local pubs. The Brit (Adams St, could have been Proctor St Nechells). The Old Nelson, and The New Inns( Gt Lister St). When The Old Nelson (Cr Rupet St & Gt Lister St) was pulled down, they gave the Baby Grand to my Dad, it dominated our sitting room for a few years until we moved from Wickham House to Sutton Coldfield. Do any of you out there remember my Dad ? His name was Les and he was almost blind he

Den did you know the name of the piano player? As both my Dad and his mate Jackie Brooks used to play in and around Nechells.

in the New Inns Gt Lister ST.‚.…my Dad played the piano in the bar.

 

[Di.Poppitt]

Lovely memories for you to have Pom. My mom was to shy to play to anyone but the family, so kept her light under a bush.
I sell Art Deco, and the most lovely piano's were made in the 20's 30's, by a company called Eavestaff, they are quite small and one day......

 

[G G Jean]

We had two piano's. My aunt Floss lived in the front and oh how she would honky tonk. Couldn't read music played by ear but great when the family came round. Roll out the barrell etc. My party trick [which I was frog marched into doing] was Ertha Kitt and Santa baby. We lived in the back and that piano was looked after for me to learn to play on. Still have one today but much lighter weight. Patty's mom could knock a fare old tune out too. TTFN. Jean.

 

[33bus]

hi di my family piano actually was a 88note pianola mom and dad were Fred Astaire mad they had quite a collection of his film music on the rolls ie top hat a fine romance etc in 1940 we lived at 36 miller st one night there must have been a large bomb close by because it blew the front door open broke the window and a piece of shrapnel knocked a 4insx1ins lump off the corner of the lid nothing else was damaged not the glass cabinets(2)mirrors ,statues were still in place loads of dust etc but amazingly no other damage as stated elsewhere on this site it went to maryvale bye
33bus
tom

 

[Di.Poppitt]

Just caught up with you all, I do miss those days when there was a good old sing. The last time we sang was about 20 yeas ago, my late mother in law and sister in law had come to see us for the day and as the day wore on we had a lovely sing song, even without a piano. I've got it somewhere on video.

 

[Frantic]

I used to play the piano by ear as well Di, trouble was, the lid kept falling on my head and I used to get my nose stuck between the black notes.

 

[Alf]

You still on the Run Frantic, after that keep going

 

[Di.Poppitt]

Hi there Fran, thanks for the laugh